Pulse oximetry screening for critical congenital heart disease in Tanzanian newborns: Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity in a low-resource healthcare setting.

ABSTRACT: Early detection of Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) is crucial for reducing infant mortality. Pulse oximetry (POX) is widely utilised for screening CCHD in high-resource settings; however, its diagnostic accuracy in low-resource environments, such as sub-Saharan Africa, remains under-researched. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of POX in screening Tanzanian newborns for CCHD. This prospective cohort study was conducted in two hospitals in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. We used pre- and post-ductal saturation (SpO2) readings prior to discharge. A positive screen was defined as SpO2 < 90%; two pre- and post-ductal SpO2 readings <95%; and/or a pre- or post-ductal difference that exceeded 3%. All newborns with positive screening tests underwent echocardiography, while those

SUBMITTER: Majani NG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12270164 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature